04/16/2026
TLDR: While there is currently no burn ban in place, PLEASE don't burn anything, including yard debris, as drought conditions continue in our area. Until we have beneficial rainfall, we have an increased risk for wildfires.
The details:
As our area continues to feel the effects of prolonged drought, the risk of wildfires steadily increases and we are urging extreme caution for any and all outdoor burning or potentially hazardous activities.
While there is currently no burn ban in place for Santa Rosa County, burning yard debris is NOT recommended. Residents should also be extremely careful with any campfires or cooking fires as well as be mindful when parking vehicles, ATVs, etc., in tall grass or over leaves. Of all wildfires in our area last year, 70% were human-caused and avoidable, with nearly 50% of the causes coming from yard debris or equipment/vehicle use.
We are not expecting relief from drought conditions in the near future, and the Florida Forest Service has suspended authorizations for prescribed burning and large pile burning until further notice.
We are working closely with the Florida Forest Service to monitor conditions and evaluate the need for possible burn bans.
One such condition considered is the Keetch Byrum Drought Index (KBDI).
https://weather.fdacs.gov/KBDI/kbdi_index.html
KBDI is a continuous reference scale for estimating the dryness of the soil. The index increases for each day without rain (the amount of increase depends on the daily high temperature) and decreases when it rains. The scale ranges from 0 (no moisture deficit) to 800 (high moisture deficit).
Average KBDI for our areas is 423 (446 Santa Rosa, 412 Escambia, and 402 Okaloosa). Normal range for late spring is 261-460.
A prolonged drought results in a high KBDI and influences fire intensity largely because more fuel is available for combustion (i.e. fuels have a lower moisture content). In addition, the drying of organic material in the soil can lead to increased difficulty in fire suppression and significant smoke production.
Other weather factors, such as wind, temperature, relative humidity and atmospheric stability, play a major role in determining the actual fire danger.
